David Collier is to retire from his role as England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive at the end of this summer, it has been confirmed.

Collier, 59, will leave after a highly-eventful decade at the helm of English cricket administration.

He believes it is simply the "right time to step aside", and leaves with ECB chairman Giles Clarke expressing a "huge debt of gratitude" for his services since October 2004.

During Collier's tenure, England have won four Ashes series - including Down Under for the first time in almost a quarter-of-a-century in 2010/11.

They also went to the top of the International Cricket Council Test rankings in 2012, again for the first time, but have since slipped dramatically from that position and suffered a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia last winter.

There was a first win in an ICC global tournament on Collier's watch, at the 2010 World Twenty20 in the West Indies.

Clarke said: "David has overseen the most successful period of development, playing success and growth for cricket in England and Wales - and we are extremely grateful to him.

"During his decade as chief executive, David has produced and delivered three strategic plans which have revolutionised cricket in this country."

Those initiatives, Clarke adds, have "provided the blueprint for the success not only of England teams but also the ECB board, county and recreational structures".

Collier played a key role too in the lucrative sale of live television rights to a subscription-based broadcaster.

His departure will be another high-profile change in ECB management personnel since the end of last year.

Paul Downton was appointed as managing director, following Hugh Morris' move back to Glamorgan, before England's embarrassingly unsuccessful Ashes campaign in Australia.

In the aftermath of that disappointment, team director Andy Flower resigned his post and took another with ECB.

He and limited-overs coach Ashley Giles were then replaced by the returning Peter Moores, back in charge of the England team in all formats.

Clarke added: "When we reflect on the past 10 years, we will all recognise the huge debt of gratitude which is owed by cricket in England and Wales to David Collier and the management teams he has built and revitalised during that period."

Collier is confident he has made the right decision to hand over the reins now.

He said: "After 10 years at ECB, I believe it is the right time to step aside and retire from the position of chief executive, because I shall turn 60 in the spring and I do believe the time is right for a new CEO to open the batting.

"I am immensely proud of the achievements and the enormous strides forward which cricket in England and Wales has made during the past decade.

"We have achieved both men's and women's victories in ICC global events, three consecutive home men's Ashes Wins, three women's Ashes wins, an Ashes victory in Australia, victory in India and developed a world leading National Performance Centre at Loughborough.

"I pay tribute to my management team, who have been such a strong and cohesive unit over the past decade which has delivered this success.

"I thank the two chairmen during my term in office, David Morgan and Giles Clarke, for the opportunity I have been given to lead cricket in England and Wales for the past decade.

"I wish my successor every success in the future and I shall continue to follow cricket closely, albeit from outside the boundary rope."